Right Wing Watch is monitoring a growing rift between James Dobson, co-founder of Focus on the Family, and a faction of evangelical Christians over the U.S. presidential candidacy of Fred Thompson.
Thompson supports a constitutional amendment to allow states not to recognize other states’ gay marriages. In an e-mail to religious-right leaders that was leaked to the media, Dobson accused Thompson of being “opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage.”
In other words, Thompson’s antigay position wasn’t vicious enough for Dobson. Or, seen yet another way, those who differ in small ways from Dobson are somehow guilty of failing to “protect marriage.”
But Thompson already had the support of Richard Land, head of the public-policy section of the Southern Baptist Convention. Land called Dobson’s rant a “gross mischaracterization” of Thompson’s position and a “harsh and unwarranted” smear against a person of faith.
Dobson and his followers regularly mischaracterize gay people’s calls for justice and mercy, and they issue harsh and unwarranted smears against gay-tolerant people of faith as a proven method of religious-right fund-raising. Are some evangelicals finally waking up to Dobson’s greed and selfishness?
While a handful of evangelicals line up behind Thompson, Newt Gingrich hopes for Dobson’s blessing.
Addendum: According to People for the American Way, Gary Bauer has joined Land in corralling support for Thompson while quietly encouraging the unelectable Sam Brownback and Mike Huckabee to withdraw.
Would someone please explain to me how a civil union is considered “sacred?” I thought evangelicals divided things into two categories: God and “The World.” Wouldn’t “civil weddings” or “civil unions” fall under the category of “The World?” Do they believe American judges to somehow have sacred rites the same as a minister or priest?
The fact that these evangelicals are divided over political issues demonstrates where their focus is … and it ain’t on God. Not to say we orthodox christians are fairing any better, but at any rate, religious institutions should inform truthfully about political candidates but not endorse a specific one and force their members to do the same.
These extremist neo-nazi Evangelical creeps are just going to fight with each other which is to our best interest because the more factions they create among themselves the more mainstream America will distance themselves from them. It is horrific to think of the damage they have done to our country and to our Constitution in the name of religion with Bush stacking the deck by placing men like John Roberts as a justice in the Supreme Court. That’s not even enough for J. Dobson. Big religion is a power game and I hope that future generations learn from these horrible thugs and don’t repeat the same mistakes again. The very heart and freedoms of this nation are at risk because of insane men like Dobson.
I am hoping and praying that the Republican domination over our nation is fast coming to an end and that this phenomenon will tie Dobson’s hands once and for all because he has been allowed to do far too much damage.
isn’t this off topic for “ex-gay watch?”
So far as I know, Thompson, Dobson or Land never struggled with same sex attraction …
Randy – what are you doing here? I thought you never looked at this Blog That Shall Not Be Named?
In any case, welcome.
It’s peripheral, at least in that it demonstrates the depth of their hypocrisy when it comes to us.
And of course this is after his previous radio show with Dobson earlier this year, where it was established that he has “been married three times.”
Yet (correct me if I’m wrong) nary a condemnatory Biblical quote to be found in the interview. This, despite the fact that the Bible unequivocally defines remarriage as adultery — unless YOU are the one who is cheated on.
This is why I don’t consider them fundamentalists. Because they don’t even take the Bible seriously themselves.
Through Mike Haley, James Dobson’s Focus on the Family holds the board chairmanship of Exodus International.
Focus provides most of Exodus’ annual marketing platform, through the Love Won Out roadshows and billboards and through favorable publicity in Focus radio shows and press releases.
Focus also hosts appearances by Exodus’ Randy Thomas at state and federal hearings to speak on behalf of discriminatory legislation against same-sex-attracted persons and their families.
Randy Thomas and Alan Chambers periodically launder Focus press releases and op-eds on their personal blogs and in Exodus media releases; in these re-releases, Thomas and Chambers offer unqualified praise for Focus’ politics of misinformation and fear.
Mike,
They recently changed the board chairman to Melissa Coffey.
Or perhaps it’s “nee Coffey” as she was scheduled to be married “in September 2007”. The snarky side of me wonders if that was a prerequisite for the job.
Oops, thanks for the update. I’m glad to see some formal distance develop between Exodus’ board and Focus.
I see that two of Exodus’ regional representatives have ties to Focus.
I think I just hallucinated. Did THE Randy actually comment on here? Is this the same Randy who, in one of my comments to him, took out the link to this blog telling me he never reads it and wouldn’t even name it because of all sorts of reasons? Glad to see you’ve given up that bit of silliness Randy!
As for Dobson/Land, I do find this very interesting. It may not totally be related to “ex-gay” watching, but because of the historic involvement with both the SBC and FOTF in issues surrounding gay/ex-gay, I think a lot of us find it intereting to see the “family” spat going public. It doesn’t bode well for the Republican Party when two of the leaders of their base are at odds with one another.
j.
At least Fred Thompson’s candidacy has been good for something.
WOW, the head of their “professionals network” is a NARTHy
Randy,
You asked why tihs subject, since the principals are not ex-gay.
The fact that you chose this particular topic (criticism of Dobson) to comment says a great deal in itself. Why have you refrained from commenting on so many other topics, but chose this particular one to chime in on? Is it perhaps because your organization and your paycheck are so dependent on staying in the good graces of Dobson and FOTF?
I would guess that FOTF and Dobson are far more important to Exodus than Alan Chambers or Randy Thomas. Puppets are easy enough to replace, but the puppet-master really runs the show.
It is sad to see that Dobson’s megalomanic quest for power and being a kingmaker puts him in the position of being completely taken in by the sociopathic Gingrich… again.
It is sad to see that Dobson leaves such a bitter taste in the mouth of everyone that equates him with Christianity.
It is no surprise that the kind of truth-twisting and spin that Dobson engages in politically, is the same twisting and spin that he engages in when demonizing GLBT people and fighting against their rights.
It doesn’t surprise me Randy popped up. Ex-gays and “friends” often frequent critic sites (Wayne Bessen, Good As You, Pam’s Blend, etc) in stealth mode, but can’t help themselves in posting if what is being said really annoys them.
A preacher or minister can and will take the position of what they believe is morally right or wrong, but the President of the U.S. has the responsibility of representing all of the people, regardless of what his (or her) moral or religious beliefs may be. They must work within the laws that have been passed by Congress and respect the laws of each state.
Moderator Action: Political pundit spam deleted.
Alan, this forum is not an appropriate place for you to plug your fund-raising efforts and your political agenda. Opinion is welcome, but no dogma or name-calling of any kind is welcome. Liberals? Conservatives? it’s all purple to me. Please stay on topic.
Hey Timothy Kincaid,
I dated Melissa Coffey from Aug. 1990 to Oct 1991 and she was my date to my H.S. prom. Anything you want to know about her I can tell you.
you can contact me at cpasqualetto where the mail is hot.